Russia's Saki Air Base Blew Up and No One Knows How

"Russia’s Saki Air Base, safely tucked away 120 miles or more behind the front lines, lost as
many as 10 warplanes and various buildings in a series of explosions— but how it happened remains a mystery.

Massive explosions rocked the airfield, home to aircraft from the Russian Navy’s 43rd Independent Naval Attack Aviation Regiment. The smoke could be seen from miles away. Satellite photos show that Russia lost at least half a dozen aircraft, including top-line Su-30 Flanker fighters and older Su-24 Fencer fighter/bombers.

Saki (sometimes spelled Saky) was thought to be unreachable by Ukraine’s missile forces, and it’s certainly too far behind the lines to get hit by Ukraine’s artillery." PJMedia

Pentagon Reportedly Considering Sending US Special Forces Personnel to Kiev Embassy

 "US military and diplomatic officials are debating whether to send special forces troops to Kiev to guard the reopened embassy, summing up proposals that would force the Biden administration to choose between escalating the military presence in the conflict zone and concerns about the safety of the US diplomats." Sputnik

Russia reacts to Latvia branding it ‘sponsor of terrorism’

"The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman has slammed Latvia’s decision to brand
Moscow a “state sponsor of terrorism,” calling it absolutely groundless, and part of a long-running anti-Russia campaign by Riga.

“Is it news? No,” Maria Zakharova wrote on Telegram shortly after the Thursday’s declaration by the Latvian parliament, the Saeima, which accused Russia of “acts of terrorism” in Ukraine." RT

Taiwan holds live-fire drills as China ends largest-ever military exercises

"Taiwan has accused China of using the Pelosi visit as an excuse to kickstart drills that would
allow it to rehearse for an invasion.

Lou Woei-jye, spokesman for Taiwan's Eighth Army Corps, told AFP its forces fired howitzers and target flares as part of the defensive drill on Thursday morning.

The exercise in Taiwan's southernmost county Pingtung began at 0830 am (0030 GMT) and lasted about an hour, he said.

Artillery trucked in from the coast was lined up side by side, with armed soldiers in units firing the howitzers out to sea one after the other, a livestream showed." France24

Russian Separatists Boast of Steven Seagal Visit to Ukraine

"Hollywood actor Steven Seagal visited eastern Ukraine’s Donbass region on Tuesday to film
a documentary about the current war taking place there between Moscow and Kyiv, the Moscow Times reported, citing a Telegram statement issued by Denis Pushilin, the leader of the “Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR),” a Russian separatist group operating in Donbass. “Steven said that 98% of people who are talking about the conflict in media have never been here [in Donbass]. That’s why the world doesn’t know the truth. He wants to change the perception of this war,” Pushilin wrote.

Vladimir Solovyov said Seagal ‘personally examined the evidence — including the pieces of American rockets — that confirm Kyiv’s links to the mass murder of their own soldiers,' the online newspaper relayed, citing a Telegram post by Soloviev." Breitbart

Russia summons UN Security Council over nuclear emergency

"Russia has summoned an emergency session of the UN Security Council to discuss the
situation at Ukraine’s Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, which has been the subject of regular shelling attacks. Moscow wants the chief of the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to brief the council on the situation. Russia says Ukraine has been responsible for a series of drone attacks and artillery strikes at the nuclear site. " RT

Zelensky: This Russian war on Ukraine must end with liberation of Crimea

"President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has reiterated the fact that Crimea is part of
Ukraine, and that the country will never leave it behind." UkrinForm

US approves $89 million to help Ukraine clear landmines, unexploded ordnance

"The US State Department said Tuesday it has approved $89 million to help Ukraine equip and train teams to clear landmines and unexploded ordnance for one year." France24

Several Rounds of Ammunition Detonate at Crimea Airfield

"The Russian Defense Ministry has confirmed that a series of explosions happened near the
town of Novofedorovka in Crimea, noting that they were caused by a detonation of several rounds of air-launched ammunition at the Saki Airfield located not far from the town.

The ammo's detonation did not happen due to shelling or an airstrike on the airport, the ministry underscored. The cause of the incident is being investigated." Sputnik

North Korea offering 100,000 troops to help Russia win Ukrainian war

"North Korea has reportedly offered 100,000 "volunteer" troops to help bolster Russia’s
chances of invading of Ukraine.

 “There are reports that 100,000 North Korean volunteers are prepared to come and take part in the conflict,” Russian defence analyst Igor Korotchenko told Russian Channel One, reports New York Post." WION

France Tackles Worst Drought on Record

"France on Sunday braced for a fourth heatwave this summer as its worst drought on record
left parched villages without safe drinking water and farmers warned of a looming milk shortage in the winter.

Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne's office has set up a crisis team to tackle a drought that has forced scores of villages to rely on water deliveries by truck, prompted state-run utility EDF to curb nuclear power output and stressed crops." VOA

Russian ammo depot destroyed in northern part of Kharkiv region

"In the north of Kharkiv region, a Russian ammunition depot was destroyed as a result of a
successful aerial reconnaissance effort followed by a massive strike." UkraineToday

Russian allied troops took control of the Knauf plant in the town of Soledar

"Chechnya’s leader Ramzan Kadyrov has reported that his troops took control of the Knauf
plant in the town of Soledar.

On Tuesday, he took to his Telegram channel to write that the Akhmat special operations group together with the LPR’s militia were successfully liberating territories. "The forces also took under control the premises of the Knauf plant," Chechnya’s head wrote." Tass

Ukraine halts Russian oil supply to EU

"Ukraine’s state oil pipeline operator Ukrtransnafta has stopped pumping Russian crude through the southern branch of the Druzhba system to the EU......transit supplies have been halted to Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia." RT

Russia Suspends US Inspections Of Its Nuclear Arsenal Under New START Treaty

"On August 8, 2022, the Russian Federation officially informed the United States via diplomatic channels that our country is temporarily exempting its facilities from inspection activities under the New START Treaty," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, adding it also covers "facilities that can be used for demonstrations under the treaty.” ZH